Counseling Curriculum
Counseling Curriculum Continuum
Our counseling curriculum (PK-12) is aligned with the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) competencies and district goals. We believe that social and emotional skills are critical to being a good student, citizen, and worker. There are many risky behaviors (e.g., drug use, violence, bullying, and dropping out) and stressors that can be prevented or reduced when multiyear, integrated efforts are used to develop students' social and emotional skills.
This is best done through effective classroom instruction, student engagement in positive activities in and out of the classroom, and broad parent and community involvement in program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
There are five core competencies as described by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) that aid in providing students with the necessary strategies to build resilience toward the social demands of an ever-changing world:
Self-awareness: The ability to accurately recognize one’s emotions and thoughts and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing one’s strengths and limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism.
Self-management: The ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic goals.
Social awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.
Relationship skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering help when needed.
Responsible decision making: The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others.
Bedford High School Counseling Curriculum / 9th -12th Grade Seminars